The symmetrical arrangement of carp alpha- and beta-globin genes

The arrangement of carp alpha - and beta -globin genes were examined at the nucleotide sequence level. Then, the nucleotide sequence of 1,249 base pairs (bp) for the 5' untranslated region of the carp beta -globin gene was determined. This region showed a high homology with the previously reported carp alpha -globin gene No. 7. The overall nucleotide sequence homology of these two clones was 96.7%. DNA sequencing analysis indicated that the alpha -globin gene closely linked the beta -globin gene. Additionally, the close linkage of carp alpha - and beta -globin genes was proven by Southern blot hybridization and PCR amplification. The direction of the transcription of the alpha - and beta -globin genes was the opposite. The length between the alpha - and beta -globin gene translation initiation site was 792 bp and the nucleotides of this region was high in of A and T contents. Carp alpha - and beta -globin genes show unique symmetrical arrangement.